Chaplain's Corner 

As the term comes to an end, we have the opportunity to be thankful to God for the various blessings we have had but also to reflect on ourselves and our lives and how we make a positive impact on others. 

We were blessed to have our Father and Shepard, His Eminence Archbishop Makarios preside over our whole school Paraklesis to the Theotokos where our students chanted hymns and participated in the life of the Church. At this service, our Archbishop reminded all of us to look towards the Panagia as a person to imitate with her virtues of obedience and love. He urged us all to keep her near and dear. 

The month of September in the Church is the commencement of the New Year in our Liturgical cycle. The first of September marks the beginning with a focus on creation and caring for it. We also celebrate on the day the 40 Women Martyrs who provide for us real examples of faith and witness in the world. Amongst the many feasts we also celebrate the Elevation of the Holy and Life-Giving Cross on September 14. This is a day of strict fasting. So why is the Cross important;

The cross’s veneration is integral to our lives as Christians and forms an essential part of our Christian identity.

• Crosses decorate our churches.
• We wear our baptismal crosses throughout our lives.
• We cross ourselves when we pray at church and at home.
• The crossing of the bread and wine is a part of the miracle of the Eucharist that repeats itself time and again at every liturgy.

The Cross is the hope of Christians, is a ladder that ascends to Heaven. The Cross protects us from temptations, saves us from dangers, comforts us in sorrows, helps us in every need. The Cross protects widows and orphans. He who gazes at the Cross, is filled with courage, and drives away cowardice. 

My beloved Brothers and Sisters, since the blood-stained Cross of the Lord provides us with all these and so many other blessings, let us be closely connected with it and let us often invoke its grace and power, in every need of ours.

Let us make the sign of the cross when we get up in the morning, thanking the Lord who blessed us to see the light of a new day. Let us begin and end our work with the sign of the cross. For every mercy we receive from God, let us thank Him by making our cross. Moreover, in every need of ours let us invoke the help and protection of our Almighty and Most Merciful Lord by making the sign of the cross; and let us rest assured that we, like many others, will see miracles in our lives.

Fr Stavros Kakavas 

School Chaplian and Parish Priest of Sts Anargiri